12/04/2000

A Tainted Bounty
Larry Bohlen had just one item on his shopping list when he went to the Silver Spring, Md., Safeway this summer corn.
Everything Bohlen put in his cart had corn in it. He tossed in corn chips, corn meal, corn flakes. By the end of his monomaniacal shopping spree, he had collected 23 products containing corn.

Anniversaries - December 3, 2000
MR. AND MRS. BARRY
Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Barry of Sundown will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary with a reception from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Dec. 9 at Fairview Baptist Church in Levelland. Their children will host the event. They are the parents of Roy Barry of Sundown, Rick Barry of Round Rock and the late Rusty Barry and Ronnie Barry. Barry and the former JoAnn Ward were married Dec. 13, 1950, in Sundown. They have seven grandchildren.

Deck the halls for one and all, and remember wildlife this season!
The Holiday season is now in full swing, and our thoughts turn to the spirit of giving. This year perhaps you could include wildlife in your seasonal plans.
Decorate your bird feeder with a bright bow and evergreen sprigs; smear peanut butter on a log or a flat piece of untreated wood and hang in a tree near your window. Decorate an outdoor tree for wildlife. String doughnuts, popcorn, peanuts in the shell; some birds may even find fresh cranberries tempting. Recycle your Christmas tree after the Holidays and decorate it for wildlife as well.

Did Thanksgiving get lost on its way to town?
THANKSGIVING LOST a lot of its meaning when it moved to town.
Everything that rural America did to enhance the very essence of that special day, Madison Avenue and its burgeoning number of pretenders have put asunder.

O, Dattio! 4GL makes new name for itself
How fast does technology change? Ask the people behind the scenes at youthful 4GL Corp., whose name and direction will change Thursday when the Lubbock-based technology consulting company becomes Dattio Technol-ogy Consultants.

Business bulletin board
PROMOTED
City Bank announced the following promotions. Susan McEndree, vice president, has been named manager of the bank's 50th Street and Indiana Avenue branch.

Just another hostage at DFW's A-2
American Airline's A-2 terminal is a good reason for all flying passengers to stay at home.
If you haven't flown American's smaller regional jets into Dallas-Fort Worth International yet, get ready for the experience of a lifetime, both on the ground and on the runway.

Lubbock men head out to ref Big 12 championship
It was business as usual, apparently, all last week at City Bank in Lubbock. The employees didn't do anything special for Mike Liner and Richard Whittenburg.
''They let us off today,'' Liner said Friday afternoon from a hotel in Kansas City.

Export sales jump, anemic mill use yield cotton market standoff
A sharp increase in weekly U.S. export sales and strengthening world prices have clashed quietly with weak monthly domestic mill consumption in subdued cotton futures activity.
The collision resulted in something of a standoff. The market finished Thursday with a modest 27-point gain from the holiday-shortened close the week before, basis March at 68.35 cents.

Death penalty
If a list of the most controversial topics was to be compiled, capital punishment would be a definite contestant for the No. 1 spot. The death penalty is an issue that crosses party lines and almost always sparks heated conversations.
Some argue that the death penalty falls under cruel and unusual punishment and that it serves no practical purpose. Thirty-eight states have the death penalty, though seven of these states have not executed anyone since 1976. Since reinstating the death penalty in 1982, Texas has put to death 199 people; since the Supreme Court's 1976 ruling, which allowed states to carry out the death penalty, Texas has executed a total of 235 prisoners.

PRO & CON
Few issues spark as divisive a debate as the death penalty. This issue is of special relevance in Texas, where about one-third of the nation's executions have taken place since 1976.

PRO & CON
I wish there was no need for the death penalty here or anywhere else in the world.

Appeal Testing Case
IN OUR OPINION, U.S. District Judge Mary Lou Robinson erred when she ruled Friday that "the mandatory random, suspicionless drug-testing program for all students participating in extracurricular activities at Tulia Independent School District is violative of the Fourth Amendment."

Share In Food Drive
THE SOUTH PLAINS FOOD BANK'S annual U-Can Share Food Drive is an excellent way to get into the holiday spirit of giving while helping those who will be in need at Christmastime. We urge families to participate in this worthwhile endeavor.

'Make Kids Count'
AT THE AVALANCHE-JOURNAL, we value all of our readers greatly. But we confess to having a special fondness for our youngest readers.

Beat The Mail Rush
THE CHRISTMAS SEASON is here, and most South Plains residents have made full lists of things to accomplish in the short time between now and Christmas.

Carpeting Engineers?
STATE LAWMAKERS SHOULD overhaul Section 19 of the Texas Engineering Practice Act which requires the oversight of a licensed professional engineer on public work projects.

Beauty and the Beast
Grant Norman may be weary, talking on his cellular telephone while driving to a restaurant between matinee and evening performances recently in Austin.
But he still remembers who signs his paychecks and he can recognize a sneaky question when he hears one.

Pumpkins finish with smash at Chicago Metro
CHICAGO {AP} Returning to the same small venue where they debuted as a band 13 years ago, The Smashing Pumpkins bid farewell to their fans with a blistering four-hour collage of songs that have made them one of the most definitive bands of the past decade.
The finale at the 1,100-person capacity Metro on Chicago's North Side was one of the hottest tickets of the year, selling out in 20 minutes on Oct. 21 with almost as many tickets bought outside the continental United States as within.

Video games of the week
One of the latest versions of the old plastic army games now on the shelves is Army Men: Sarge's Heroes 2 for the N64.

Disney discovers Broadway success with 'Beauty'
Broadway had its doubts. Disney did not.
The Disney animated feature "Beauty and the Beast" became the first "cartoon" to not only top film critics' Top 10 lists, but earn an Academy Award nomination in the category of Best Picture. But when Disney executives announced plans to adapt the animated film for the Broadway stage, naysayers were plentiful.

Auditions on Tuesday-Wednesday at LCT
"A Piece of My Heart," Shirley Lauro's drama about women serving in Vietnam, will be staged at 8 p.m. Feb. 2-3, 9-10 and 16-17, and also at 2 p.m. Feb. 4, 11 and 18, at Lubbock Community Theatre, 1924 34th St.

Local PBS raises funds for programming
KTXT-TV (channel 5, Cox Cable Channel 4), the Public Broadcasting Service affiliate for West Texas, will air fund-raising programming today through Dec. 10.

Quiet Determination
The Families of Lubbock is a weekly feature that will appear each Sunday throughout the year as The Avalanche-Journal celebrates its 100th birthday. Families are selected by A-J staff and 100th birthday partners on a variety of criteria, including historical significance and civic contributions. Today's installment looks at F.W. Mattox, who had the vision and foresight to plant Lubbock Christian College.
Wherever there was a need, there you would find F.W. Mattox. Not only in those early years when Lubbock Christian College needed faculty, students and funds to get started, but throughout his 18 years as president of the private institution.

Strong shooting gives Frenship tourney title
WOLFFORTH - The Frenship boys basketball team wasn't too concerned about who it was missing in its starting lineup. No, the Tigers were more concerned with what Keenan Hooker was missing - which was absolutely nothing.

Tigers keep rolling, whip Wyatt 42-6
AMARILLO Patrick Shelby hoped the interception he returned for a touchdown would help pick up his Frenship Tigers' momentum a little bit.
He was wrong it helped pick up the Tigers momentum a whole lot.

Abilene Wylie overtakes Lubbock High 59-29
ABILENE - The Lubbock High girls fell behind early and eventually lost a consolation semifinal to defending Class 3A Region I finalist Abilene Wylie 59-29 Saturday morning.

Nichols' 3-pointer lifts Seminole over TCHS
WOLFFORTH - Seth Nichols hit a running 3-pointer at the buzzer to lift his Seminole Indians to a 69-68 victory over Trinity Christian in the Third-Place Game of the Cotton Pickin' Shootout on Saturday.

Thankful For Volunteers
The Salvation Army would like to say a special word of thank you to all of the volunteers who recently gave of their time and themselves with our community Thanksgiving dinner. We fed around 160 people this year -- which is a slight increase over last year. This simply could not have happened had it not been for the "Army" of volunteers who came along to assist us.

Stolen Checks, ID
This letter is to warn the citizens and business owners of the dangers of stolen checks and identity in your town. My dad was a victim of this crime 5 to 6 years ago. I just received a phone call from my dad that he had just been notified of more checks being passed there in Lubbock.

Lubbock's Generosity
Many individuals and businesses in Lubbock have supported me this past year as Miss Teen Lubbock America 2000. Several television and radio stations, as well as The A-J, have generously given their coverage to my Royal Red's Reading Club literacy program.

'Grinch' Stole Decoration
I recently found out that the Grinch has made it to other places than the movie theater. Someone decided that they needed my small wire figure of a deer more than I did.

English Not 'Official'
The writer of the letter about Spanish (A-J, 11-15) must get nosebleeds at times from the "loftiness" of her attitude! First, nowhere in the U.S. Constitution does it state that English is the official language. Writers of the Constitution agreed to use English as the language, but German lost only by one vote.

Thief Stole Innocence
This letter is for the Grinch who stole the Christmas ornaments from our yard today in broad daylight, as well as the wreath from our neighbor's front door.

100-Year-Old Tree Killed
Maybe I have missed something, but when is it all right to go into a national forest and cut down a 100-year-old tree just to decorate the White House lawn?

Police Car Cameras
Re: The article "Police video vindicates officer, leads to perjury charges" (A-J, 11-21).So one of Lubbock's fine outstanding citizens accuses a police officer of assaulting her. Yea for video cameras in police cars. Now maybe when a citizen is stopped by an officer they might think twice before accusing the officer of some kind of misconduct.

Bench Stolen From Porch
This letter is for the person who will receive a "Used Park Bench" for Christmas. Please wonder where it came from.

Teach Traffic Safety
Re: The article "School zone push hits higher level" (A-J, 11-19). I have seen children crossing Avenue Q at O.L. Slaton against the light during morning traffic expecting people to stop and let them across instead of waiting for the light to change.

Meals On Wheels Benefit
Our benevolent community has once again responded with extraordinary support for Lubbock Meals on Wheels. For the ninth consecutive year, the "Feed a Friend It's as Easy as Pie" fundraiser has been a tremendous success. This year $30,000 was donated to feed the homebound and disabled people of our community.

Outstanding Teachers
The Texas Council for the Humanities (TCH) proudly presented a 2000 Outstanding Teaching of the Humanities Award to Sara Duncan of Lubbock High School. She is a remarkable teacher who has demonstrated extraordinary dedication, knowledge and creativity. She is an inspiration and gives us all much hope in the future of education in Texas.

Military briefly - December 3, 2000
Pfc. Sabrina R. Garcia reported for duty with Marine Aviation Training Support Group, Naval Technical Training Center, Meridian, Miss. Garcia is the daughter of Brenda and Esteban Garcia of Shallowater. She is a 1998 graduate of Lubbock Cooper High School.

A child is waiting
The Avalanche-Journal wants to help find homes for children available for adoption through Children's Protective Services. The A-J features a child every month who is in need of a permanent home:
Roshaude is an easy-going and affectionate 10-year-old. Known for his high energy level, Roshaude prefers to play outside. You can find him riding a bike or playing at the park. He is active in any season. He is comfortable camping, swimming and even water skiing. He also enjoys playing video games, playing with his friends and talking with adults.

News briefs - December 04, 2000
Darryl Charles, 39, of Lubbock remained in critical condition Sunday at University Medical Center. He was burned Nov. 12 in a mobile home fire.

Broken locks, buoyant spirits
The homeless man's steel-toed boots haven't been replaced.
They were taken more than three weeks ago when thieves broke into the Interfaith Hospitality Network's daytime shelter sometime during the night of Nov. 11.

Parents get insight into kids' needs
Inside the Harmony Cottage on Broadway Street Saturday morning, scattered on the couches and tables in the living room, were people learning to be better parents.

Deputy shooting case in prosecutor's hands
A Texas Rangers' investigation into a fatal shooting by a Lubbock County sheriff's deputy has been forwarded to the special prosecutor overseeing the case.
On Sept. 26, Deputy Anthony McAdoo shot Joe Cavazos Jr., 44, across the road from the home of Cavazos' parents at Woodrow Road and Interstate 27 in South Lubbock County.

Region pulls out all stops for food drive
From the campuses of Texas Tech, South Plains College and school districts to area churches and businesses, individuals and organizations are gearing up to lend a hand to the South Plains Food Bank U Can Share annual food drive.

Swinging for the Fence
A softball field might not create the excitement of a fancy renovation at the civic center or a dazzling new water theme park, but some city officials are saying, ''If you build it, they will come.''

Researchers tout leukemia's 'holy grail'
HOUSTON {AP} A leukemia drug that patients say has fewer side effects than aspirin has shown surprising success in early trials, researchers at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center say.
The drug, STI571, a new treatment for chronic myelogenous leukemia, was a central topic at a weekend medical conference in San Francisco.

Hillary dives into prep work for Senate role
WASHINGTON {AP} The senator-elect from New York reports for freshman orientation this week. With her own Secret Service detail. And the president as her date for a formal dinner Tuesday.

Widow seeks public apology from Harvard
BOSTON {AP} The widow of a former Harvard professor wants the university to publicly apologize, saying the school ran her husband out of town almost 50 years ago on suspicions he was a communist.

GOP: New Mexico election not settled yet
SANTA FE, N.M. {AP} Republicans plan to examine election results across the state to determine whether to press for further scrutiny by the state Canvassing Board.

Faulty light forces 747 to set down
DALLAS {AP} An American Airlines 737 en route from Los Angeles to Orlando was forced to land at Midland International Airport on Sunday after a cockpit indicator light signaled a fire in the jet's cargo bay.

Court drama plods onward
Lawyers for Al Gore and George W. Bush slogged through a second day of testimony about chads, voting machines and the vice president's pleas for a recount, while GOP running mate Dick Cheney said Sunday it's time for Gore to concede. Gore said he knows America is weary of the long election ordeal but counseled the country: ''It won't last forever.''
As Democrats talked about the possibility of a gracious exit from the presidential contest, a circuit judge presided over a daylong hearing on Gore's historic election protest and listened to closing arguments into the night. Judge N. Sanders Sauls said he would deliver his ruling this morning.

Family, friends still await word about missing
EL PASO {AP} Almost a year after a massive U.S.-Mexican search at a ranch purported to contain the bodies of more than 100 American and Mexican casualties of drug trafficking, relatives of the missing are pressing authorities for answers about the stalled investigation.

Black voters, unions hand Democrats win
LANSING, Mich. {AP} Dramatic victories that moved Democrats into a 50-50 tie in the U.S. Senate resulted in large part from the votes of union members and blacks an effort that was aimed primarily at winning the White House for Al Gore.

Kennedy Center honors class of 2000
WASHINGTON {AP} American movie icon Clint Eastwood and ballet dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov, a Soviet defector during the Cold War, took their place Sunday with three other master performers from the worlds of film, stage and music as Kennedy Center honorees.

NATION/briefly - December 04, 2000
Surgeon charged with sexual assault
SAN FRANCISCO A spinal surgeon has been charged with using painkillers to tranquilize a longtime friend and then sexually assaulting her.

Nationwide debate continues over when adulthood begins
NEW YORK {AP} Aged 11 and 13, Nathaniel Abraham and Nathaniel Brazill were too young to see a standard Hollywood slasher film without adult accompaniment. But they were old enough, when arrested for murder, to be tried as adults.

Cheney won't let health hurt administration
WASHINGTON {AP} Four-time heart attack sufferer Dick Cheney said Sunday he'd "absolutely" step down if he or his doctors had any concerns his health would impair his ability to be vice president.

Web makes strong showing as campaign news source
WASHINGTON (AP) - More Americans sought out election news on the Internet this year, but their reliance on candidates' Web sites dropped sharply, a new poll found. Instead, Internet users are turning to the sites of mainstream news organizations.

Hastert pins GOP hopes on courts
WASHINGTON {AP}House Speaker Dennis Hastert said Saturday night he hopes Congress doesn't have to become involved in selecting the next president, but "if we have to do our constitutional duty we'll certainly do that."

President urges action on education budget
WASHINGTON {AP} Lawmakers returning to the Capital this week for a lame-duck session should make passage of the almost $40 billion education budget their first priority, President Clinton said Saturday.

Virus gives researchers no time to rest
ALBANY, N.Y. {AP} Cold weather has grounded mosquitoes carrying the West Nile virus. No new human cases are being reported. The deadly virus appears to be resting for the winter.

Recount fight heats up in court
George W. Bush flatly asserted Saturday, ''I'm soon to be the president'' and met with GOP congressional leaders as if to prove it. Al Gore sought a recount before a Florida judge as both candidates awaited a U.S. Supreme Court decision that could untangle their election impasse.
All nine Supreme Court justices were at work, a day after hearing arguments in the case. There was no indication when the high court would rule.

Resident writer joins doctors in talking literature
NEW YORK {AP} On this first day of class, author Michael Ondaatje settles at the end of a long conference table and asks his students to introduce themselves. One is Dr. Steve Miller, a pediatrician, who gives his name and occupation and then lowers his head and smiles.

NATION/briefly - December 03, 2000
Loverboy guitarist missing at sea
SAN FRANCISCO Friends of a guitarist from the 1980s pop band Loverboy searched the churning waters of the Pacific Ocean on Saturday but found no sign of the musician, who had been swept off his sailboat.

Chief Justice not one to shy away from controversy
WASHINGTON {AP} In his long Supreme Court career, Chief Justice William Rehnquist has tangled with presidential politics three times before in the Watergate, Paula Jones and President Clinton impeachment cases.

Boosters still eager to back their favorite
WASHINGTON {AP} California venture capitalist E. Floyd Kvamme gave money to George W. Bush's campaign, to the Republican Party and to Bush's Florida recount effort. Already $145,000 lighter, he's ready to dip into his wallet again.

Tinnie Galloway
FLOYDADA Services for Tinnie Galloway, 82, of Idalou will be at 2 p.m. today at First United Methodist Church in Floydada with the Rev. Anthony Sisemore officiating and the Rev. Calvin Gray and George Johnson assisting.

C.W. Fowler
Services for C.W. "Charlie" Fowler, 87, of Wolfforth will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the First Baptist Church of Wolfforth with the Rev. Mark McMillan officiating.

John French
LEVELLAND Services for John Robert "J.R." French, 87, of Levelland will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Second Baptist Church with the Rev. Jerry Howe officiating.

Lynn Powell
BROWNFIELD Services for Lynn Powell, 50, of Brownfield will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at First Baptist Church with the Rev. Ken Horn officiating.

Joe Price
Services for Joe Lloyd Price, 84, of Lubbock will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday in Sanders Memorial Chapel with the Rev. Randy Holman officiating.

Edith Phillips
PLAINVIEW Services for Edith Phillips, 84, of Plainview will be at 2 p.m. Monday at First Baptist Church Chapel with the Rev. Travis Hart officiating.

John Hernandez
Services for John Hernandez, 12, of Lubbock will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Colonial Baptist Church with the Rev. David Morales officiating.

Ramon Ornelas
MARFA Services for Ramon M. Ornelas, 58, of Marfa will be at 2 p.m. Monday at St. Mary Catholic Church in Marfa with the Rev. Richard Ruiz officiating.

Bettye Pitts
SPUR Services for Bettye Jane Cravey Pitts, 70, of Abilene, formerly of the Red Mud community, will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at First Baptist Church in Spur with Eric Swenson officiating.

Wanda McCrillis
Services for Wanda Lynne McCrillis, 60, of Lubbock will be at 10 a.m. Monday at W.W. Rix Chapel with the Rev. David Wilson officiating.

Nell Pierce
Services for Nell Pierce, 78, of Lubbock will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday at Franklin-Bartley Chapel with the Rev. Mel Hooten officiating.

John Lowe
TURKEY Services for John Lowe, 20, of Turkey will be at 2 p.m. Monday at the Church of Christ with Stuart Smith officiating.

Ted Patton
PLAINVIEW Services for Ted Patton, 68, of Plainview will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Trinity Methodist Church with the Rev. Richard Wilburn officiating.

Mallory Marshall
Services for Mallory May Marshall, 3-month-old daughter of Brad and DeNay Marshall of Lubbock, will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at First Baptist Church with the Rev. D.L. Lowrie officiating.

Isaac Smith
QUITAQUE Services for Isaac William Smith, 84, of Amarillo will be at 2 p.m. Monday at First Baptist Church in Quitaque with Danny Logan and Lance Cypert officiating.

Morning blotter
Robbery
A gas station employee called police at about 7 p.m. Saturday and reported a robbery.
The suspect, described as a black male estimated to be about 23 years old, pulled a handgun and demanded money, according to the police report.

Morning blotter
Drunken Driving
4500 block of 64th St.
At about 5:30 a.m. Monday, an officer clocked a car speeding at 74 mph in a 45-mph speed zone. The officer attempted to pull over the car, but the 20-year-old driver of the vehicle refused to stop. A chase ensued.

Cotton Kings win, take over first place
Three games in three nights has become pedestrian for the Cotton King.
For the eighth consecutive weekend, the Cotton Kings had a "three-in-three." And for the third consecutive weekend, they won the third game. This time, 2000 WPHL playoff semifinalist New Mexico came to town and fell victim to the suddenly-resurgent Cotton Kings in a 5-3 win Saturday before 4,529 fans at Lubbock Municipal Coliseum.

A Dunn deal: Bucs wallop Cowboys
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - The Buccaneers only needed to give Warrick Dunn the ball more to find the featured running back they'd been missing.
Dispelling the theory that he's too small to take a pounding, Dunn ran for a career-high 210 yards and two touchdowns Sunday to lead Tampa Bay to a 27-7 victory over the Dallas Cowboys.

Cotton Kings move into first place 5-3
Three games in three nights has become pedestrian for the Cotton King.
For the eighth consecutive weekend, the Cotton Kings had a ''three-in-three.'' And for the third consecutive weekend, they won the third game. This time, 2000 WPHL playoff semifinalist New Mexico came to town and fell victim to the suddenly-resurgent Cotton Kings in a 5-3 win Saturday before 4,529 fans at Lubbock Municipal Coliseum.

NFL record four rush for 200
NEW YORK (AP) - Four running backs rushed for more than 200 yards on the same day for the first time in NFL history on Sunday.

Gore's actions sully presidential image
One of the hardest things I've had to learn about being the editor of The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal is not about how to cover a story or how to plan projects or even how to create a financial budget that will accurately (or at least "sort of") forecast what the newsgathering portion of this newspaper will spend in the upcoming year.
No. Those issues aren't even close to being the most difficult task I have had to face in this first year of being editor of this 100-year-old Lubbock institution. The highest hurdle I have encountered is exactly the same one that both Al Gore and George W. Bush find themselves wrestling with today, and they are having about the same success in mastering it that I am having.

REGION/briefly - December 03, 2000
Midland party features auction
MIDLAND The "World's Largest Christmas Party" is set for 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday at the Midland Center.

Ready to make history, space shuttle docks
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. {AP} Space shuttle Endeavour pulled up to the international space station and docked Saturday, setting the stage for the attachment and dramatic spreading of the world's largest solar wings.
The wings, carried into orbit by Endeavour, will be installed on space station Alpha today with the help of two spacewalking astronauts.

Endeavour crew cheers as Alpha spreads its wings
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. {AP} Space shuttle Endeavour's astronauts attached the world's largest, most powerful set of solar panels to the international space station on Sunday, then watched with delight and relief as the first glittering wing unfurled.
It was a task as monumental as the wings themselves: The future of space station construction hinged on the astronauts' ability to install the $600 million solar panels, which will provide much needed power to the newly inhabited outpost.

SPORTS/briefly - December 04, 2000
SPC looking to sweep Ranger at home
LEVELLAND - The South Plains College women's basketball team will try to sweep a home-and-home season series from Ranger Junior College when the two meet at 5:50 p.m. today at the Texan Dome.

Lady Raiders put emphasis on defense
With all the talk of a new-look Texas Tech women's basketball team, one made up of plenty of new players and a more up-tempo offensive style, one constant remains: defense.

Tech vs. East Carolina in 'Furniture' bowl
High atop his list of needs and wants from Santa Claus, Mike Leach has given himself another hope for the holidays: a season-ending win against East Carolina in the Astrodome.
Leach, the head football coach at Texas Tech, will get his chance to reach that milestone two days after Christmas when the Red Raiders (7-5) face the Pirates (7-4) in the inaugural galleryfurniture.com Bowl in Houston at 7 p.m. Dec. 27.

Tech men squeak by SFA 54-51
With a more difficult pre-conference schedule than usual, the Texas Tech men's basketball team can't afford losses against teams it should beat. Stephen F. Austin was a casualty of that premise Saturday night.
But just barely.

Sports briefly - December 03, 2000
Agassi, Kuerten reach Masters final
LISBON, Portugal - Gustavo Kuerten rallied to oust defending champion Pete Sampras and will finish the year as No. 1 in the world if he can beat Andre Agassi in the final of the Masters Cup.

LULAC wants 'Rescue' stopped
HOUSTON {AP} The League of Latin American Citizens has called for the state and federal government to stop a North Texas group's plans to help ranchers on the Texas-Mexico border deal with illegal immigrants.

Tulia school loses fight on drug testing
A three-year battle over whether the Tulia school district can randomly drug test its students was decided Friday in an Amarillo court.
U.S. District Judge Mary Lou Robinson ruled in favor of a former student who claimed the random testing violated the Fourth Amendment protecting against unreasonable searches and seizures.

Questions raised over quality of JPS care
FORT WORTH {AP} In his 17 years as a paramedic, Ron Rivers rushed numerous patients to John Peter Smith Hospital's emergency room but sometimes was appalled by what happened next.
Too frequently, Rivers says, critically ill patients had to wait hours for treatment. He says a nurse once removed a patient's IV and oxygen mask soon after he was carried from the ambulance, and then sent him to the waiting room.

Celebrating Christmas in a simpler time, simpler way
Christmases of the past will be recreated Friday and Saturday nights by living-history hosts wearing period costumes during the National Ranching Heritage Center's 22nd annual Candlelight at the Ranch program.

Flurry of accidents follow snowfall
The Lubbock Police Department was very busy for about 2 hours during a light snowfall that began falling across the region at about 7:30 a.m. Sunday.
A flurry of minor accidents on Loop 289 ensued.

Cheney Urges Al Gore To Concede
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) {AP} Republican vice presidential candidate Dick Cheney said Sunday that ``it's time'' for Al Gore to concede the White House to George W. Bush, while lawyers for the rival tickets argued in a Florida courtroom over Democratic demands for a recount of disputed ballots.

Cotton quality continuing to drop
The area's cotton crop this year, as one veteran grower described it Monday, was "tough to get started and twice as tough to get out."

Weathering the years
The first milestone of aging comes with the shock of recognition, according to Lou Diekemper, a Lubbock-based author who studies the phenomenon.
She has written three books on the subject, with the latest titled ''Couples Who Take Care: Elders Weathering the Years with Strength and Love.''

Blood shortage worrisome for region's blood bank
Blood supplies in Lubbock are critically low, as is usual during the holiday season, but this year the shortage is anything but usual, said Stan King, executive director for United Blood Services, the region's blood bank.

DAC picks four Heisman finalists
NEW YORK {AP} -- Three quarterbacks -- Drew Brees of Purdue, Josh Heupel of Oklahoma and Chris Weinke of Florida State -- and running back Lan Tomlinson of Texas Christian were announced Monday as finalists for the Heisman Trophy.

Local audiences invited to go 'Into the Woods'
One of my favorite theater memories is an introduction to a professional production of the Stephen Sondheim musical "Into the Woods."
It is a play which never has been seen in Lubbock outside of a touring production in November 1990 because, as Texas Tech voice professor Gerald Dolter put it, "If you can't sing it, you have no right even approaching Sondheim."

Local audiences invited to go 'Into the Woods'
One of my favorite theater memories is an introduction to a professional production of the Stephen Sondheim musical "Into the Woods."
It is a play which never has been seen in Lubbock outside of a touring production in November 1990 because, as Texas Tech voice professor Gerald Dolter put it, "If you can't sing it, you have no right even approaching Sondheim."

Local audiences invited to go 'Into the Woods'
One of my favorite theater memories is an introduction to a professional production of the Stephen Sondheim musical "Into the Woods."
It is a play which never has been seen in Lubbock outside of a touring production in November 1990 because, as Texas Tech voice professor Gerald Dolter put it, "If you can't sing it, you have no right even approaching Sondheim."

Zapatista leader willing to help push for peace
LA REALIDAD, Mexico {AP} The leader of Mexico's Zapatista rebels said Saturday that he would come out of hiding in the southern jungle and travel to Mexico City to restart peace talks with the government.

Violence persists in Kashmir
SRINAGAR, India {AP} Suspected militants in Kashmir mounted attacks that killed one civilian and wounded eight over the weekend even as Pakistan joined India in observing a temporary truce in the disputed Himalayan territory.
India has declared a monthlong cease-fire in Kashmir starting this past Tuesday for Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting, and Pakistan said Saturday it would follow suit. But separatist guerrillas have refused to stop fighting, and 20 people have been killed since then in the section of Kashmir under Indian control.

Israel's Barak tears into critics, defends efforts to quell violence
JERUSALEM {AP} Facing sharp criticism from both Israelis and Palestinians, Prime Minister Ehud Barak aggressively defended his handling of the current upheaval and said Saturday that a political settlement offered the only way out of a half-century of Mideast conflict.
Barak's comments came in a television interview that appeared aimed at staking out a strong stance with voters by lashing out at his many critics ahead of early elections due in the spring.

Mexico's Fox scores victory on first day
OAXACA, Mexico {AP} On his first full day as Mexico's president, Vicente Fox scored a major political victory Saturday, bringing to the negotiating table a band of rebels who had frustrated his predecessor for six years.

Mexico's Fox promotes vision for immigrants
MEXICO CITY {AP} President Vicente Fox pledged Sunday to travel to the U.S. border soon to personally greet Mexicans returning home, providing an example of how he believes immigrants should be treated.

Iraq does one-eighty, resumes oil exports
BAGHDAD, Iraq {AP} Iraq said Sunday it would resume its oil exports to fulfill its existing contracts, backing away from a halt it called two days earlier in a dispute with the United Nations over pricing.